


Jaws That Snap

by Oodles



Category: Kingdom Hearts (Video Games)
Genre: Body Horror, Cannibalism, Descent into Madness, Self-Harm, The Beginning of the End
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:14:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,341
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27308305
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oodles/pseuds/Oodles
Summary: "Do you know what happens to those who lose their true purpose? Inevitably, they destroy themselves." Spoken by Saix in Kingdom Hearts 2What started as a plan to save others becomes something else.
Comments: 7
Kudos: 18
Collections: Kingdom Hearts: Bad End





	Jaws That Snap

**Author's Note:**

> Please heed the tags. This is how I imagine the beginning of Isa's and Saix's worst timeline. Happy Halloween.

"Do you know what happens to those who lose their true purpose? Inevitably, they destroy themselves." 

-

_Traitors among the ranks. Betrayers in the shadows. All eyes on us._

“Easy.”

Isa lifts a hand to calm the voice. His scar hurts— magma boiling under the surface of his skin, threatening to spill over.

_You have problems to solve._

“I know.”

He speaks softly even though he’s alone in his room. He couldn’t stand it if someone heard him talking to the other.

“I know who to watch for,” Isa assures his guest.

_You waste precious time coddling number eight. Give him to me instead._

“No,” Isa says, voice firm. 

_I need to feed_.

Isa reaches for the zipper on his coat. “Fine.”

-

The monster moved in shortly after Xemnas opened the door. It was a deal for the thieves caught inside the castle. One red, one blue; wrong time, wrong place. 

_You will survive with the help of another_.

Isa knows that Lea is only trying to get through to the other side. Saix knows it too. Where Isa goes days without eating from stress, Saix wants to be fed constantly. Isa knows how to hold his tongue, but Saix is on the verge of roaring at everyone who looks at them too long. 

He took the deal that would make him stronger, so Lea wouldn’t have to, but he wasn’t anticipating where Saix’s loyalty would lie. 

Elevated on those chairs, Isa does his best to listen to every word. It’s not just about information, he needs to appear like he’s working for them. That’s something Lea could never understand. Saix is sure to remind him of that— how naive, how lazy, how distracted number eight gets. _There is no way he’ll make it out of this. We should end his suffering._

Isa has gotten so good at ignoring the monster’s needling, he hardly emotes at all anymore. On the other hand, he has stopped recognizing the difference between their names. Of course, when Saix gets ignored for too long, he gets harder to contain. Isa fears for those moments when the other worms his way up into Isa’s body. Sometimes he blinks in and out time, losing words from conversations. 

The worst came when Isa ignored Saix for nearly a week, too focused on carrying out his missions and overseeing Lea— Axel— as he prepared for his own mission in another castle. They were arguing, quietly. All Isa wanted was some reassurance that Lea was going to do what he had to in order to keep them from getting discovered. And Axel kept telling him it was fine, not to worry, he’d take care of it. So nonchalant, as if this wasn’t a life or death situation.

Isa felt something tightening around his throat, and his vision went black. It wasn’t as simple as losing consciousness; Isa was _pulled_ from the helm and shoved down into darkness. Chained up and out of sight, he was sure he was screaming, but no one could hear. By the time he clawed his way back up into his own eyes once again, Axel— Lea— was staring at Isa with a wild look, and Isa saw his hand around his friend’s neck.

That was the last time they spoke as equals. 

Isa left Lea, shaking like a leaf, and went to have a talk with the monster. Barricaded in his room, Isa demanded an explanation. 

But the monster only told him, _you will not ignore me._

Isa thought it would be enough to acknowledge it. If he responded to Saix, gave him what little ground Isa could afford, maybe it would appease him. But when Isa woke up on the floor of an unfamiliar room days later, breathing hard, scar pulsating like it was fresh, he knew they had not worked it out quite yet.

His entire body felt crushed as he stared at the uncomfortably white ceiling of _wherever_ he wound up. And then Xemnas’s face loomed into view above him.

“I thought you were stronger than this, number seven,” he said.

There was a knife in his hand, and Isa watched Xemnas wipe the edge of the blade across his sleeve— blood smearing onto leather.

“At least I know who _he_ answers to.” 

Xemnas turned away, unconcerned while Isa struggled to take full breaths, his tongue heavy with the aftertaste of iron.

One thing was clear: they needed a compromise.

-

It wasn’t supposed to get so complicated. It’s Axel’s fault, really, for making friends. Even if Isa only wanted to save the two of them, now there were so many others inextricably tied up with them. Axel’s weakness for strays, Isa’s weakness for Axel.

_I can give you the strength you need._

They never even talked about subject X. Yes, it infuriates him, but they are in this together, whether or not Axel denies it now. It doesn’t matter, as long as the pieces are in place. Luckily, Isa is smart enough to use Axel’s weakness to his own advantage. 

Having two minds does help him plan ahead. 

Isa is careful now, not to let Saix get hungry. When the heartless and the dusks prove insufficient, he has a solution. And every piece of himself that Isa feeds to Saix, more clarity comes to his mind. Not just clarity, strength too.

By the time Isa has a treasure map of scar tissue on his body, Axel, Roxas, and Xion don't trust him one inch. But that’s fine. Trust isn’t the plan. 

No, no, Saix makes things clear. All Isa needs is more strength. 

Once he is strong enough, he will bring them all back by his own two hands. He will force Xemnas to make it right. He will tear open a way back, and even if they hate him for it, it won’t matter once he’s fixed this all.

He’s already resigned himself to the long road home. Luckily, Saix can see in the dark.

-

He has the halls of the castle memorized and can walk them with his eyes closed. He makes trips to the lab so frequently, it feels like he lives there. He certainly doesn’t sleep much anymore. But Saix needs to eat, and the little pieces Isa carves up aren’t enough anymore. Vexen knows the plan. Surely he will help.

_I will make him if he doesn’t._

Waiting for the good doctor to arrive, he prowls through the replicants standing in a lifeless file, little toy soldiers.

“What are you doing here?” Vexen hisses, pulling the door shut behind him. “We should not be seen communicating unnecessarily.”

Saix turns on him. “I need another replica.”

“No,” Vexen immediately snaps. “The extras will surely be noticed with your reckless behavior. Find something else to soothe your appetite.”

Saix opens his mouth, but Isa forces up their next words. “Apologies for the interruption. We will not ask again.”

Pushing himself out of the lab, Saix’s anger sticks uncomfortably in his throat. 

_You will find me another._

“Yes,” Isa promises. “I will.”

He can feel Saix’s rage boiling under his skin. Stalking through the castle like some kind of beast, Isa is sure to take the less crowded path to their room. Locking himself inside and blocking the door, as is their routine. They cannot have interruptions.

“What do you think you’re doing, depriving me yet again?” Saix demands. 

Isa sheds his coat entirely, holding his own bare arm out to study. “I need more strength. More control. And you need to feed. The knife is not enough anymore.”

Saix turns his head, appraising Isa’s body. “Finally.”

_This is how we will both get what we want. Turn Isa’s flesh to memory, an idea in the blood, swallowed greedily by the other. We will share this task. Isa will remain tangled in your teeth, and Saix will press on, stronger than ever._

_Every bite will bring us closer to being whole._

_Now we will have the strength to save the others from themselves. These empty bodies do more harm than good._

**Author's Note:**

> Dr. Isa and Mr. Saix  
> thank you for reading


End file.
